NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English - The Thief's Story

Read and Find Out (Page 8)

Q1: Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
Ans: In the story, ‘I’ refers to the narrator of the story Hari Singh, who was a fifteen-year-old thief.

Q2: What is he “a fairly successful hand” at?
Ans: He is “a fairly successful hand” at stealing and robbing people. This means he is an experienced thief who is quick and skillful in his work, managing to rob without getting caught.

Q3: What does he get from Anil in return for his work?
Ans: When Hari asked Anil if he could work for him, Anil said that he could not pay him. Finally, the agreement was that if he would cook, then Anil would feed him. However, Anil soon found out that he did not know how to cook. Therefore, he taught him how to cook and later, how to write his name. He promised he would teach him how to write whole sentences and how to add numbers. Apart from this, when Hari went out to buy the day’s supplies, he would make a profit of a rupee a day.

Read and Find Out (Page 10)

Q1. How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft?
Ans: The thief thought that on discovering the theft, Anil’s face would show a touch of sadness. The sadness would not be for the loss of money, but for the loss of trust.

Q2. What does he say about the different reactions of people when they are robbed?
Ans: During his brief time as a thief, Hari learned how different people reacted when they were robbed. He noticed that a greedy person would be afraid, a rich person would get angry, and a poor person would accept it calmly.

Q3. Does Anil realize that he has been robbed?
Ans: Yes, Anil realized that Hari had robbed him. He likely figured it out from the wet money, which got damp in the rain the night before. However, Anil didn't say anything about it and instead gave Hari a fifty-rupee note, promising to pay him regularly.

Think about It (Page 13)

Q1. What are Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education? Do they change over time? (Hint: compare, for example, the thought: “I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve” with these later thoughts: ‘Whole sentences, I knew, cloud one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees. It was a simple matter to steal − and sometimes just as simple to be caught. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something else.”) What makes him return to Anil?

Ans: Hari was thankful to Anil for teaching him how to write his name and was eager to learn how to write full sentences. He realized that becoming educated would improve his skills and help him gain respect and a better status in life. However, after stealing money and leaving Anil’s house, Hari understood that education would bring him more satisfaction than stealing, and he worried about getting caught. He imagined the respect, reputation, and opportunities he could have if he became educated. Feeling guilty for betraying a kind man who had given him food and shelter, Hari's desire for education drove him to return to Anil’s house.

Q2. Why does not Anil hand the thief over to the police? Do you think most people would have done so? In what ways is Anil different from such employers?

Ans: Unlike others, Anil didn’t call the police or accuse Hari of theft, even though he knew about it from the wet money. He didn’t punish Hari or even bring up the incident. Instead, he was glad that Hari had recognized his mistake and understood the value of education. In today’s world, finding someone like Anil is rare. Most people wouldn’t have reacted as he did. Anil was patient and caring, genuinely wanting Hari to become educated and live a respectful life. Anil stood out from other employers because of his understanding and compassionate nature. When Hari returned with the stolen money, it gave Anil hope that Hari wanted to change his ways and grow into a noble, educated person.

Talk about It

Q1. Do you think people like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction, or are there such people in real life?
Ans: In reality, people like Anil and Hari Singh are rare and mostly found in fiction. However, there are exceptions when we might encounter someone like Anil. From the story, we see that Anil is kind-hearted and genuinely concerned about Hari’s education and future. When Hari stole Anil’s money, his conscience made him rethink his actions, leading him to realize the importance of education for his future. Because of this, characters like Anil and Hari are rare in today’s world, making them feel almost like fictional creations.

Q2. Do you think it is a significant detail in the story that Anil is a struggling writer? Does this explain his behaviour in any way?
Ans: Yes, it’s clear from the story that Anil was a struggling writer. He led a simple life with an irregular income, spending money only when he could afford it. Anil made money occasionally—sometimes borrowing one week and lending the next. He often worried about when his next cheque would come, but once it arrived, he would celebrate with friends. Hari noticed that Anil couldn’t pay him a salary because he didn’t have a steady income. Despite earning little, Anil never mistreated Hari and was always kind and considerate towards him.

Q3. Have you met anyone like Hari Singh? Can you think and imagine the circumstances that can turn a fifteen-year-old boy into a thief?

Ans: No, I haven’t met anyone like Hari Singh but such kind of people do exist in the world. Many a time, a fifteen-year-old boy may be forced under unavoidable circumstances to become a robber. Most people commit a crime to feed themselves or their families, or sometimes to satisfy their urge or addiction, to maintain health or to fulfil their demands to lead a luxurious life and so on and so forth.

Q4. Where is the story set? (You can get clues from the names of the persons and places mentioned in it.) Which language or languages are spoken in these places? Do you think the characters in the story spoke to each other in English?

Ans: The story is set near Lucknow somewhere in Uttar Pradesh. We understand this from the story when a railway station for Express train to Lucknow is mentioned. The presence of sweet shops, mandis and bazaars also indicate it to be a small and decent town. We can assume that the characters in the story were not speaking to each other in English but probably in the Hindi language.